This week's big game between No. 9 South Carolina and No. 3 Florida may feature higher-ranked teams, but the battle between Kansas State and West Virginia has more star power. Quarterbacks Geno Smith of West Virginia and Collin Klein of K-State are running 1-2 in just about everyone's Heisman rankings right now, and this mano a mano matchup could produce a defining moment for one of these players.

There will still be a whole lot of football left to be played when it's over, but it's easy to see that both quarterbacks can look across the sideline at one another and know that whoever leaves with a victory will almost certainly leave as the most likely recipient of the most hallowed individual award in sports.

But this game offers more than just Smith vs. Klein. In fact, this matchup has it all, including an intriguing clash of styles, writes Sean Keeler of Fox Sports Kansas City:

Death by Maserati or death by combine?

Kansas State prefers to kill its victims slowly — run, punt, eat up clock — by the fourth quarter, you've either bled to death or combusted out of sheer frustration. West Virginia strikes quickly, surgically, a swarm of piranhas in cleats.

Speaking of the Wildcats' bludgeoning style, Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com takes a look at the understated toughness of Klein, who during his career at K-State has played through injuries including a bruised sternum, a bruised rib and a separated shoulder:

But we do want to know how many blows Klein, this aw-shucks home-schooled kid from Loveland, Colo., can take before he collapses in a heap. Check the scars, scabs and bandages after 19 career starts. Conventional weapons do not work against him.

Klein discusses Saturday's Heisman showdown with Smith and the matchup against the Mountaineers in this Fox Sports interview:

Top games

Other than Kansas State at West Virginia, here are several other elite matchups and rivalry games on tap this weekend:

• Former LSU All-American Tyrann Mathieu, declared ineligible to play this season after reportedly failing multiple drug tests, is denying a Sports Illustrated report which claims he may not be able to return next season due to NCAA violations. (via NOLA.com)

Who they're picking

• Week 8 predictions over at NBCSports.com include wins for Florida over South Carolina, Kansas State over West Virginia, and LSU over Texas A&M.

• Six of eight panelists at USA Today take West Virginia to beat Kansas State, but the experts are deadlocked on the outcome of Florida-South Carolina. Upset picks include one vote each for Virginia Tech over Clemson and Utah over Oregon State, and two votes for Cal over Stanford and Temple over Rutgers.

• At ESPN.com, Big 12 blogger David Ubben picks Kansas State to beat West Virginia, 37-34. Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett agree that Michigan will handle Michigan State, while SEC bloggers Edward Aschoff and Chris Low both expect Florida to deal South Carolina its second consecutive loss.

• Stewart Mendel of SI.com predicts wins for South Carolina and West Virginia, while he likes Texas A&M to beat LSU in his upset special.

• Members of CBSSports.com's panel of eight all choose LSU to beat Texas A&M, aside from one dissenting vote from Jerry Hinnen. Stanford gets the nod over Cal by a 5-3 vote, while West Virginia is the majority choice by the same margin to beat Kansas State.

What they're saying

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota throws against Arizona State during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

This was a masterpiece by Oregon. The defense was incredible. The offense was electric. At the height of the back-alley whipping, the Ducks defense was taking the ball away and the offense returning it to Arizona State seven points heavier at a pace that turned all of Tempe dizzy.

"I say it all the time. Nasty, attitude, get after it. Do something crazy," Ainge said. "The first time AJ McCarron drops back, tell one of your boys you've got fifteen on this one. He's got a sore knee, go step on it."

• Michigan coaches spent the week getting their players psyched up for Saturday's big in-state rivalry game against Michigan State, hoping to make up for last year's 28-14 loss in which they were physically dominated by the Spartans: (via MLive.com)

"You have to have a mindset that’s ready to play in a figurative fist fight," Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges said Tuesday. "And if you don’t think that way, don’t come to this game."

It's hard not to be happy right now. A year after a dismal 3-9 season, the Beavers are a shocking 5-0 and eighth in the first BCS Rankings. Take care of business as a solid home favorite Saturday night against Utah and they'll head into the second half of their schedule as the most unlikely national championship contender still standing.

The Alabama-Tennessee series has become a joke with no punch line, a corpse in search of a coffin, a rumble strip masquerading as a speed bump on Alabama’s annual run toward national championship contention.

"It's funny," tight ends coach Brian Polian said. "You watch a play in practice or a game and the kid is running around making something happen, and they're going, 'Johnny Football. Keep your eyes up. Keep running. You never know.'"